A Ride on Horseback to Florence Through France and Switzerland. Vol. 2 of 2

h-Laupen-Rodolph chosen guardian of orphans of the Count of Nidau-Murdered by his own son-in-law-Cathedral-Monument to Duke Berthhold-His wife's execution-Charles Louis of Erlach massacred by his own

e Eschenbach family-Walter of Eschenbach-Confidant of the parricide Duke John-Murder of the Emperor Albert-Vengeance of Queen Agnes-Walter's son

Aug

g series of endless hills, and (as heavy clouds, which brought us several hail-

f March, 1798, the same day on which Berne surrendered to another column of the French army, two thousand Swiss, commanded by Colonel de Grafenried, defeated the French, drove them across the Sense, killed or wounded fifteen hundred

odern bears; for the bear is omnipresent. Armed cap-a-pie on the column of one fountain, on another standing as esquire beside the figure of Duke Berthhold, forming a procession on the clock-tower, which in his time guarded the outer wall, marking in effigy the butler at the inn, and in propria persona inhabiting the town ditch outside the Aarberg gate, where four of the fraternity live on (alas!) diminished revenues, for the property bequeathe

d his vassals' security; and seeking out another spot under the protection of the imperial franchise, equally distant from all his enemies, and unsuspected by his partizans, he chose a hamlet called Berne, built on a peninsula formed by the rapid Aar, when it rushes from the lake of Thun; and, about a month after he had defeated the league

urged on by the emperor, projected her destruction. The lords of the house of Neuchatel, the counts of Kibourg, and Pierre of Gruyères and others, assembled in the castle of Nidau, whither, notwithstanding her alliance with Berne, came ambassadors from Fribourg, to say tha

ll save justice." She summoned Fribourg to a diet held at Blamatt, reckoning on the memory of their common founder and long friendship; but her deputies received no token of peace or amity

al; of the brave knights and citizens who surrounded the avoyer of Bubenberg, none esteeming himself capable of a command on which depended the fate and liberty of their descendants; and while they still sat

ard, that to serve the cause of the nobles against his fellow-citizens would injure his interests beyond reparation; and the young count, as in reply he scornfully bade

called me a man, Sir Count; I w

eviving the memory of Donnerbuhel and his father, he was named general by

ing it, he addre

thout it courage is of no avail. You, artisans, who are freemen, and obey unwillingly, you can remain free only by learning obedience to those to whom it is due;

ll about six thousand. The women and children, who remained on the summit of the walls to watch and to pray, followed them with their eyes till they could distinguish them no longer, over the unequal ground and in the doubtful light. Descending thence they sought, the

nce from Laupen on a height, and flanked by a forest. Several of the knights of the opposing army, which was encamped

aid gaily, "Victory is ours, friends; we have lost the clog of cowards!" and dashing forward, heading the young men he had assembled round his own person, the flower of Berne, he broke through the masses of the enemy's infantry. Thenceforth the fortune of the day was no longer doub

; behind them were borne the banners and arms of the fallen, and Rodolph of Erlach, c

speaks the highest praise of the knight of Erlach. They employed the mediation of the bishop of Basle to pray that he, "whose integrity was as well known as his valour, would receive as his charge the orphan

henbach, a solitary spot on the shores of the Aar, which had also been his fath

of Laupen suspended from the wall, his son-in-law came to seek him. He was a dissipated and reckless man, and as they conversed together, high words ensued on the subject of Margaret's marriage portion. The

news got wind, there was neither noble nor citizen who did not rise in arm

hero. The date of the most ancient mansions now standing is of 1405, as in that year the entire city then existing was destroyed by fire

nns in Switzerland; but we had left Fribourg late, and lingered on the way, and consequently found it full. The Couronne was a bad substitute; the house is three hundred years old, and has objections attendant on its worm-eaten wood and dirty old age, which I advise you to avoid; the more so as its master is the first Swiss I h

ratic buildings which skirt it, their possessors' coats of arms sculptured over their portals, and their gardens sloping t

sing himself with his companions, vaulted on a horse which was quietly feeding under the trees, and being a spirited animal, started violently away, and, terrified by the shouts of Weinzapfli's c

s commenced, in 1420, by the son of the archi

heritance to her own future offspring, or won by the jealous nobles to be their accomplice, this fury in human shape poisoned the two children of her husband. Her guilt once proved to him, neither the tenderness he had once felt for her, nor the thought that by accusing one so nearly allied he tar

d's monument, is a long catalogue of names inscribed on marble tablets; t

vernment was timid and irresolute. Accompanied by eighty of his officers, like himself members of the council, he presented himself before it the 24th of February, and, by his energy and arguments, revived its hopes and raised its courage. He was endowed with full powers to act as he should see fit as soon as the yet unconcluded truce should expire. He left the city to decide on the measures to be

the formality of an inventory taken. The Directory, informed of the omission, and in a case of this sort placing li

stily made by the marshal s command,

e copie, que les sommes trouvées dans le tr

de Ville, twenty-two carriages, and above three hundred thousand francs in specie!! This treatment of Berne followed close on assurances of support and amity, for while the marshal's forces were yet unassembled, and before Schaumbourg's reinforcement had arrive

ugust,

ther to Zurich, beneath noble avenues. We had a lovely day and ride through a happy looking country, wood, pasture and mountain, and passed through a village, where th

ening, and the old dark castle, now a prison, on the height, with its peaked roof a

e as the Rhone. We crossed it on a covered wooden bridge, and skirted the town, pass

ered houses, and a grey feudal tower on the near shore; and the Stockhorn, with its strange sharp peak projecting above; and the massive pyramid of the Neisen beyond; the wreaths of vapour floating along the side of the first serving

f pasture, building timber, and firewood, besides a yearly sum of money drawn from the surplus revenues of their flourishing and unexpensive country. By a strangely egotistical rule of the law-ma

round and along it, from distance to distance, are what elsewhere I should call summer-houses, open stone edifices, on whose benches the inhabitants of Thun sit in the shade, enjoying the glorious and varied views over each side of the valley. A windin

ed from the Emperor Frederic the Second the title of free towns; and when the news, so long desired, reached Lausanne of the failing of the line of Z?ringen, (the fall of the founder of Berne twenty-five years after its foundation,) the Bishop Berthhold of Neuchatel convoked

onounced judgment in accordance with a municipal code which even himself respected. The richest and most ancient of the nobility thronged his court and were his brothers in arms. When Hartmann of Kibourg died, his widow, the countess Elizabeth, allowed an overweening influence to Senn of Münsigen, a nobleman whose domains lay in the neighbourhood, and who through her favour had become director of her councils. Her sons, Hartmann, heir of Kibourg, and Ebe

Neuchatel, Comte Rodolph of Neuchatel being his wife's father. Arrived at his destination, Eberard accepted, perforce, for arbitrator between their differences Duke Leopold of Austria. Leopold pronounced that Hartmann should remain sole lord of the entire patrimony; that Eberard should inhabit the castle of Thun, and of the two hundred marks he received from his benefices as canon of Strasburg and Cologne yield three parts to his brother to defray the debts of their house. To this sentence the pr

involuntary murder was Eberard in person; but at the moment when the citizens of Thun, who, attracted by the extraordinary noise, had armed in haste, rushed up the hill to the castle to know its cause, the body of Count Hartmann, flung by some violent hand from a window of the castle, made them an awful reply. The greater number at once turned and fled; the few who lingered were taken prisoners as a measure of precaution; and Eberard, giving o

gu

the prettiest picture imaginable. The vie de pension consists in breakfasting, in irregular order, between eight and twelve; dining at three, which interferes sadly with excursions or occupations; drinking tea at eight; talking till ten; and going to bed to re-commence on the morrow. This is bearable during sunshine; but when we are shut up in bad weather, and deprived of our home occupations, with torrents falling all day

moral or a

conversation induced us to let the poultry die and be served up in peace. I was amused by his account of their passage on board the steamer, from Geneva to Lausanne. Of the party was a lady speaking French imperfectly, and sketching with remarkable assiduity, as she went along, notwithstanding the velocity of the boat's motion. Monsieur R--, though not professionally so, is

rland; and the young French gentleman could not resist the opportunity for amusement: he had been her interpreter already. Mont Blanc, she heard all voices e

hape of the mountain, and write under it "Mont Cenis,"-extract the leaf from

, forgetting that Lucerne was not

n was again marked down, and inscribed Mont Pilatre. The steamer was passing

ting her pencil, "Coppet

It was this she believed to be Corinne's cradle. The drawing was completed in a minute: two upright lines for walls; two ears for chimneys; three blacker strokes for windows; and under all

s in heaven

amt of in ou

of a member of the national guard of Marseilles,

reasure, destined for Paris; it was to leave Marseilles under an escort of the national guard, a

rather surprised, on entering the suburbs, to hear himself and his comrades ordered to the rea

charge being at some distance from us, in case of its being attacke

r ride to the front, an

emaining behind, we can best judge whether the attacking force matches our own,

he rear and the convo

nd

e rode last Wednesday, for we were hardly a mile away when the mist closed around us, obscuring the view from the higher ground over the lake and towards Thun, which is so lovely in sunshine. D-- proposed turning back, but we were averse to seeing the whole contents of Baumgarten shake their heads at our discomfiture, as they had done when foretelling it ere we started. We took refug

e remained attached to the Burgundian party, inasmuch as he believed a continued peace with Burgundy beneficial to Berne. Hagenbach, however, had been seized and executed; and Charles's fury venting itself not merely in menaces against Switzerland, he named his officer's brother to fill his vacant place, with orders to cover the county of Ferrette (the part of Alsace which joins Switzerland) with flames and blood. This fresh violence

n of the inhabitants were ill disposed, he proclaimed that the first who showed fear or irresolution would be punished with death! He also adopted measures which had been already, on other occasions, successful, separating friends and relations; placing some within the town, and of others forming part of the force destined to repulse the besiegers. Wise, active, and courageous, calm amidst danger, Bubenberg's conduct and skill saved Morat, to whose fate seemed bound that of all Switzerland, and to him chiefly did Louis the Eleventh of France attribute the victory.

among its members Rodolph, conqueror of Laupen, murdered by his son-in-law, a

The accommodation at the inn was better than I had expected; but, considering we had come thither for pleasure, our object was not altogether accomplished, as we sat alone at supper, faintly lighted by two candles at the end of the large gloomy room, the storm beating against the windows and the wind whistling under the doors. Our bed-room looked on the church, backed as it is by the steep sides of the Harder, to which the clouds clung,-threatening an inauspicious close to our explorings; and the most musical of German watchmen woke us every hour during the night chanting them and an appropriate rhyme in his fine deep voice. Called as we desired, and the car ready, the state of the weather, as we breakfasted shivering in the same large room, looked by no means promising, and the barometer had continued sinking pertinaciously. Not choosing, however, to ride back to Thun, as we had ridden from it, in rain and fog, and our object unaccomplished, we preferred driving in their company to Lauterbrunnen; and leaving our horses with strict charges to the stable servants, we started rather silent and rather sad in that chill morning at seven, over the four picturesque bridges, which, crossing the Aar, di

e home of his forefathers but a brief time ere he died. A zealous patron of letters and his friend was the Landgrave Hermann of Thuringe, at whose court of Wartbourg (the most romantic of mountain castles) congregated the wisest and wittiest of their time. In the year 1207 six noble minnesingers entered the poetical lists there; Hermann and his fair wife distributing the prizes, while Nicholas Klingsor, famed for his love ditties, as well as his knowledge of necromancy and astrology, presided as judge, summoned for that purpose from Hungary. The general voice hailed Wolfram conquero

f Eschenbach, comrade and confidant

The minor, become of age, demanded his birthright, which Albert, under various pretexts, refused; and the young man, exasperated by each succeeding subterfuge, urged on by

ng to his paternal inheritance; but Albert once more evaded a direct reply, speaking of giving Duke Jo

asps my birthright menaces my life." Quitting his reverend adviser, he sought without further delay the companions of his pleas

rk made, as to these diadems being sufficiently weighty for the brows which sustained them, to which John listened gloomily. The banquet concluded, the emperor mounted on horseback to proceed to Rhinsfeld, whither the empress had gone some days before. His suite was com

lands which stretch beneath the hill and castle of Habsburg, the

nd plunged his lance into his throat; at the same moment Balm ran him through the bo

he scene of their murder; Albert had fallen bathed in his blood, and insensible. His suite, congregated on the opposite shore of the river, witnessed the assassination, and fled in fear from their

imself at the pope's feet, and as a favour obtained from him permission to hide beneath the cowl his remorse and friendlessness. The remainder of his days passed in obscurity as an unknown monk, i

m, who was fondly attached to him. Having implored his pardon vainly on her knees, before the Empress Elizabeth and her daughter Queen Agnes, she determined on affording him the consolation of her presence when condemned to be brok

ed, his widow rose, travelled on foot to Bale, and died. Ere yet Rodolph was taken, Duke Leopold had entered his domains in arms, put all his domestics to the sword, and razed the castle of

ary, widow of King Andrew, caused sixty-three nobles and many other warriors to be conducted to the forest, and beheaded there

d shrieks of the assailants and their victims had fearfully roused. The boy was so beautiful as to interest even Agnes, hard and cruel as she was, till she discovered he was Walter's son, when she commanded that he should be put to death also; and her officers had much ado to shield t

irty-five years. He made himself known only when at the point of death, and was interred with the pomp due to the dignity of the ancient family which in his person closed. On th

hem; all found within the prescribed domains, were sacrificed without pity. The accomplices not taken were put to the ban of the empire, their marriage vow

nce, and performing the most humble offices. It was in vain however that she strove to attract to K?nigsfelden the old brother Berthold of Offtringen, who had been a knight and warrior, and lived as a her

Lauterbrunnen. On entering the village of Zweylustchinenr the mountains open to leave a way to Grindelwald, and through the

the White Lutschine, and the dark and vivid green of pines and beech, which rise among the crevices, or from the st

r the path sombre and sternly, once shadowed a fratricide. Of the tradition I heard only that the murderer was a powerful n

Hunenflue, having the form and regularity of a bastion. Before us we saw the Jungfrau, who had dropped her veil, demanding I suppos

de I climbed with difficulty, and was puzzled to descend with sober step. We offered due reverence to the cascade, arriving ancle deep in the rivulet, from the plank made slippery by its spray; receiving a bath on the before-named mound, where the voice of the water was so loud we could not hear our own; but

hore, the green pastures stretch nearly to the summit, dotted with chalets to receive cattle and herdsmen, some seeming too high for human foot to rest on. These and the poorer houses of the village, which is s

ies of elaborate workmanship, and below the jutting roof inscriptions graven to recall the name of the owner, and

along precipices, high above the Black Lutschine, and till it brought us within sight of the glaciers, with the domes and spires of snow which shoot up above them, I thought less interesting th

nd a bell, bearing the date 1044. From the arch of an ice cavern in this upper glacier issues the Black Lutschine; green pastures, with wild flo

e, and found himself laid, with a broken arm only, beneath a vault of ice, and beside the torrent. Guided by the dim light which cre

similar accident, but which ended fatally. He fell to a depth of seven hundred feet, and his

n; the drive back lovelier than you can conceive, for in the place of mist we had sun

t of steps which, just opposite our hotel, lead to the church, whose grey tower has the Harder for background. In the churchyard was something sadder than solitude,-the tomb of an only son, who perished, aged twenty-two, in t

es in the air and catching them in his mouth after the manner, he said himself, of the bears of Berne; there are various modes of seeking instruction when travelling: and a lady

d having enjoyed a lovely ride, and seen, without a cloud to shroud them, the whole range of snow peaks with romantic names which surround the Blummis Alp and Ju